Patience Ndidi Ofure-Key, a former presidential aspirant and governorship candidate on the platform of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), has charged Edo State government not to criminalize lawful and peaceful protest
Ofure-Key who bemoaned the worsening insecurity in Edo Central, particularly in Ekpoma, the administrative headquarters of Esan West LGA, urged the government to prioritize the protection of the citizens.
She noted that unending threats of kidnapping and rising fear triggered last Saturday’s protest in the University community.
The former gubernatorial candidate in a statement on Monday in Benin, noted that residents and youths, including those linked to Ambrose Alli University, protested repeated abductions, warning that fear has overtaken daily life in the university community.
She stressed that the protection of lives and welfare remained the primary responsibility of government and security agencies, adding that abandonment inevitably fueled anger, tension, and protest.
According to Ofure-Key, parents in Ekpoma feared sleeping, students feared attending classes, and communities feel deserted, creating a volatile atmosphere that no responsible government should ignore or trivialise.
While condemning violence and lawlessness, Ofure-Key said she understands citizens’ frustration when peaceful appeals for safety are met with silence and inaction.
According to her, people protest not for confrontation but because they feel abandoned, warning that social order weakens when communities feel unprotected and desperation deepen.
She expressed concern over allegations that security operatives raided student hostels and arrested protesters, describing such actions as intimidation rather than genuine public safety measures.
The former governorship candidate said democracy can not restore calm by treating frightened citizens as enemies nor win trust by arresting young people demanding their fundamental right to live safely.
She insisted that allegations must be investigated lawfully but warned authorities against responding to legitimate safety concerns with harassment, intimidation, or indiscriminate arrests.
The former aspirant said persistent government failure forces communities toward self-help, sometimes dangerously, stressing that leadership must prioritise security, justice, and accountability over mass arrests.
She declared that peaceful protest was not a crime, urging authorities to focus on criminals, not victims, and immediately release students and residents arrested solely for protesting.
Ofure-Key demanded an urgent, clear security action plan for Ekpoma with measurable interventions, timelines, and transparency around security allocations and outcomes.
She questioned recurring “security votes” amid persistent insecurity, insisting that Edo citizens deserve clear accounting, measurable results, and public reporting on security spending.
Ofure-Key called for immediate patrols, joint campus-community security frameworks, emergency reporting systems, hotspot protection, public briefings, and strict accountability for abuses.
She urged the Edo Government, security agencies, AAU management, and community leaders to act decisively, release innocent detainees, and protect Ekpoma residents from kidnappers.
Ofure-Key said Nigeria can not build prosperity on fear, stressing that security underpins education, investment, and development, and Edo must prove it can protect lives.
Addressing students and residents, she urged discipline and lawfulness, warning against allowing criminals hijack legitimate protests demanding safety and accountability.
She, however, added that government duty was non-negotiable, warning that Edo must not suppress citizens’ cries instead of addressing insecurity, declaring that Ekpoma must not become another regretful headline.
